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Obtaining an Interior Design Degree isn’t just about creating beautiful spaces. Its about exploring all creative outlets in order to produce logical and intelligent design solutions. Design Institute of San Diego pushes its students to design based on client needs. These design solutions develop into projects that not only challenge the students, but also inspire ideas related to conceptual development, sustainability, universal design, and space planning. This blog post is the start of a long series of entries stressing the importance of interior design education and the impact it has on the professional field.

Interior Design Degree: Introduction to Interior Design

Inspiration

Inspirational board by Geovanna Aguilar (1st year 1st semester)

Interior design, furniture design, and architecture have been around for thousands of years. If one were to start an education in interior design, where would one begin? The Introduction to Interior Design course at Design Institute of San Diego starts by allowing students to explore existing design creations that inspire and move them. This is the start of the imaginative adventure.

Concept

Concept sketch by Geovanna Aguilar (1st year 2nd semester)

Intelligent interior design always starts with a concept. Whether the concept is a quick sketch or a computer generated drawing, there is a language that starts to develop, driving the creation. Architects and Interior designers use concept development to strategize decisions that will eventually reveal themselves in built form. Notice how Yazdani Studio uses the concept of movement in developing their design for the Bollywood Museum in Film City below.

Designing with Green in Mind

Model by Emaline Barajas (1st year 1st Semester)

There is no doubt that we have entered an era of sustainable design. Building projects that are energy efficient and use the sun to its maximum potential are musts in the field of interior design today. Remember how efficient the Living Homes C6 design is? Students have the opportunity to study and incorporate these methods into their own projects. By the time they enter the professional world of interior design they are incorporating these strategies and creating interiors like the Japanese home by Hideo Kumaki seen below.

UniversalDesign

Universally designed spaces allow all individuals, including those with disabilities, to make full use of the space. Our students have the opportunity to design and analyze spaces that accommodate people of all ages and abilities.

Bathroom analysis by Kassandra Becerril (1st year 1st Semester)

Designing with Space Constraints

Space model study by Ashley Gregory (1st year 1st Semester)

Working with space constraints is a real life challenge that all interior design students must learn. In the Introduction to Interior Design course, students are given the task of creating a reading or meditation space within a tightly dimensioned plan. They have to put their space planning strategies to work to design a room and lay out furniture in an intelligent and efficient manner. How does this relate to the real world of interior design? Look at the 425-square-foot micro-loft to see a very real example of a professional using these strategies on behalf of an actual client.

Our school of interior design strives to provide students with the building blocks necessary to be successful after graduation. Through innovative projects and creative exploration, they have the opportunity to make a positive difference by understanding the needs of their clientèle and developing creative concepts and design solutions.